


All is Calm, All is Dark

by murderofonerose (atmilliways)



Category: Metalocalypse
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 17:05:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13617801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atmilliways/pseuds/murderofonerose
Summary: For such a big place, there wasn’t a lot of privacy in Mordhaus. Charles had, therefore, taken to hiding in an unfrequented linen closet whenever he needed a break.





	All is Calm, All is Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Originally Posted: Dec 27, 2010 on LiveJournal  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Charles Foster Offdensen needed a break. He retreated to the linen closet.

 

~

He wasn’t sure when the linen closet had first come to his attention. Naturally he was aware of every room on the premises, but for areas of Mordhaus that weren’t as frequented by the boys this was usually more of an abstract awareness. The blueprints were folded up in his desk and there were digital copies on all three of his laptops. The linen closet was on all of them, of course, but he’d never actually taken the time to look for it there. 

It was quiet there, with a clean laundry smell that he liked. Sometimes he would take work and sit on a stack of towels nursing a mug of coffee in the glow of the computer screen, but more often he would go for the solitude, hoping the darkness would help the near constant headache fade. A few times he had actually fallen asleep by accident, and then more frequently on purpose. Recently, he had gotten more sleep there than in his actual bed. 

~

In fact, the first time he had ended up in the closet was also by accident. He hadn’t been disoriented or lost (neither of which he was prone to) or sloppy from drinking with the boys (as was only slightly more likely). He’d just heard footsteps coming, experienced a sudden and intense desire not to deal with the person who made them, and gone through a door that he knew, in an abstract way, didn’t lead anywhere terribly important.

He’d found himself surrounded by clean linens and silence, and breathed a sigh of relief. 

~

This time, he opened the door, frowned, and nearly slammed it shut again in irritation. 

Nathan didn’t say a word, just waved him inside. Against his better judgement, Charles did so, and they were plunged into complete backness as soon as he closed the door behind him. 

~

One of the things he’d liked about the closet was its simplicity. He could easily take one look as he went in, and later be able to move around in it as he liked without having to turn a light on. The door fit so snuggly in its frame that it wasn’t even a matter of letting his eyes adjust -- there was nothing to adjust too. 

He could take of his glasses, close his eyes, and it wouldn’t make a difference. It was so nice to be able to rest his eyes.

Charles found Nathan in the dark a little grudgingly, but easily. The big man was sitting on a mound of towels which he had obviously dumped onto the floor to make it more comfortable. Like a couch, almost. Wordlessly, Charles sat down on it.

Quite comfortable actually.

~

He wanted to know how Nathan had found his secret place. He wanted his head to stop buzzing and for the day’s headache to go away. He wanted to sleep. Somehow he ended up resting against Nathan’s broad chest, both soft with fat and firm from underlying muscle, and sighing. 

It was very warm, and more comfortable than he was used to. Charles couldn’t help it; he fell asleep. 

~

At the next band meeting, Nathan was broadcasting so much superiority and I’ve done something you guys haven’t done that he might as well have actually said it. The rest of the boys were irritable in protest. Charles rolled his eyes tolerantly and read out the financial report. 

Nathan is exaggerating, he thought calmly. It had only been a short nap. And then Charles had gotten up and left, headache quite gone and feeling... well, pretty good. He did have to admit that Nathan’s warm presence had been a nice addition to his little fortress of solitude. But it wasn’t a big deal. He would by no means go so far as to expect it would happen again.  

In this, he was very much mistaken.

~

Charles found it a little unnerving to note how frequently he opened the door to the linen closet now and found Nathan already there. Never drinking or eating or otherwise making any sort of mess, just waiting patiently for him. 

But still, it was very comfortable. He definitely fell asleep easier when Nathan was there to —although Charles unconsciously avoided thinking the word — cuddle. Which wasn’t to say that Nathan didn’t still cause his share of headaches... But that was the puzzling thing, it wasn’t like Nathan was lying in wait to make his usual mischief. In fact, it seemed to be at the expense of spending time with the rest of the band. 

And he seemed to know exactly when to be there, exactly when Charles needed a break. 

~

Eventually, gradually, Charles came to realize that Nathan had a special way of holding him. No big deal, just... a hand on his shoulder gently suggesting he should lean against Nathan and rest, or an arm not quite around him that offered no obstacle when he shifted to get more comfortable or got up to leave. 

_Hm_ , Charles thought, a little embarrassed. Nathan was so sure he had better things to do that no attempt was made to keep him there.

~

For several days after that realization, Charles tried to think of a way to let Nathan know that he did enjoy this quiet time together. A nonverbal way. He felt so much more rested in general that his productivity level, already high, had actually shown an increase. Common tasks that had been starting to seem monotonous were engaging again, all subtly interesting in their own way. And he... he didn’t like it on the few occasions when he went to the linen closet and Nathan wasn’t there. 

~

Nathan beat him to the punch. In the absolute darkness one afternoon he put a piece of paper in Charles’ hand, then clicked on the laser pointer he’d stolen (again) during a band meeting the day before. 

The light was startling but thankfully pointed down. It flitted around over the towel pile they were sitting on, then settled pointedly at Charles’ hand. Curious, he gave in and uncrumpled the note. He had to hold it close to his face to make out the writing in the dim light.

_Want to get out of the closet?_

He glanced up at Nathan, who was clearly trying not to grin nervously, and raised an eyebrow. 

Nathan shrugged and waited. 

Charles raised an eyebrow and, without quite going so far as to nod, inclined his head slightly. There was some dignity in that, he felt. 

~

There was little dignity in how Charles emerged from the linen closet, blinking and dazed and pressing fingers to his lips as if to retain something of Nathan’s kiss. He felt strangely energized, able to tackle all of Dethklok’s legal entanglements in a single bound — if that made any sense, when he wasn’t entirely sure it did. 

Giddy. That was the word. He was giddy. 

~

Nathan didn’t follow him out. They had their own agendas to follow for the rest of the day, Charles supposed. He wasn’t bothered by it. There was something pleasantly contractual (oh yes, Charles Foster Offdensen had never been much of a romantic) about their arrangement, and he was aware that this was by no means the end of it. 

~

There was a faint smile on Charles’ face as he quickly tidied himself up in the first mirror he came across, then went back to his office and officially put an end to his afternoon break.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A little disjointed, but I still like it. When I originally posted this I got one of the nicest compliments on my writing style in general that I’ve ever received, so… sentimental value, if nothing else. Written for a friend who asked for something "pretty but intelligent."


End file.
